The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-16
Another and Very Different Story.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March l5-The Baltimore
American today contained a dispatch from
Washington which announced with the greatest
assurance that Secretary Endicott had rendered
his resignation to the President. The story
travelled rapidly, and before noon it was the gen.
eral topic of conversation everywhere. and es
pecaly among military men. The War De-
partment and the White House were besieged
by newspaper men and others anxious to learn
the truth. Little information was to be had at
the department. Secretary Endicott was away.
Surgeon general Moore would see one. Ad-
iutant-general Drum and Chief Clerk Tweedale
were non communicative, and, in fact. declined
to talk on the subject at all. Colonel Lamont,
the Presidents private secretary, did not hes
tate to deny the story emphatically.
He said that Mr.. Endicott has not resigned,
sad that there has been no misunderstanding
between that gentleman and the President over
the appointment Of the Surgeon general or the
assignment to special duty Of any officer of the
medical staff of the army. A story was printed
in Boston, yesterday to the effect that the al
legged trouble between the Secretary and the
President, arose over an order of the former
transferring Assistant Surgeon Huntington from
Washington to San Francisco. 1t was said that
General John Moore the Surgeon general, pro-
tested against this interference with his staff by
the Secretary, and that he wrote to the Presi-
dent, making complaint against this interference.
This letter, it was alleged, sent to Mr.. Endi-
colt. and caused that gentleman to contemplate
resgning. Colonel Lamont says that no such let
ter was ever received by the President, and, in
corcacuapno II nopld not H. va haan saue IN tho
Secretary by him. He added that any misnnder-
standing that may exist between the Secretary
and the Surgeon-general is confined to those
gentlemen, and that the President has not been
dragged into it, and that he has taken hand
in the controversy There is no doub. but that
a combination exists among some OF the staff
officers of the army 20 foment strife and to se
cure the withdrawal of Secretary Endicott
from the Cabinet if possible. and it is the gen.
eral belief that the attempt will eventually prove
successful.
Secretary Endicott is gentleman who Lacks
tact. He performs the duties of his Office ad-
| miraby but he does not to possess the
faculty of winning personal friends. On the
contrary, he repels them and frequently annoys
| the President by his failure to appreciate the
fact that man in public life must cover his own
feelings for the good of his party 1t is true that
the Secretary has made great many enemies
or at least, has repelled many men whose friend
ship might be valuable from political stand
point. Members of Congress and Senators
who have. called upon him on business
relating to his department complain that they
are unable to him. in nine cases out of ten,
when. On presenting themselves to other mem
bers of the Cabinet, they invariably received;
but Mr. Endicott will keep them waiting for
half an hour hour and then send them
word that he is too busy to see them. The re-
suit is that they go away angry, and have, in
several instances, complained to tho President
All this annoys Mr. Cleveland, but not to suffi-
cient extent to cause any rupture. and all
stories to the effect that there has been any
| breach between the gentlemen are untrue.